


Keep a Weather Eye on the Horizon

by nire777



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Assassination Plot(s), Badass Pirates, Blood and Injury, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Everything Hurts, Explicit Language, Gandalf Meddles, Kili is tall ok, Magical Artifacts, Mild Sexual Content, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pans Kili, Politics, Sassy Bilbo, Slow Build, Tauriel is badass, This Is STUPID, basically everything ive ever wanted, multi-chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-11
Updated: 2014-11-21
Packaged: 2018-02-26 13:07:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2653088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nire777/pseuds/nire777
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Port Mirkwood, 1745</p>
<p>Tauriel is the royal assassin for King Thranduil. The king gives her the task of infiltrating the famous pirate ship known as the Erebor, in order to kill it's Captain, Thorin Oakenshield. Tauriel soon makes her way on board, disguised as a young man named Endell. As Endell, Tauriel meets a certain Second Mate named Kili, and finds her loyalties and passions divided. Full of political intrigue, romance, badass piracy, and (hopefully) cool fight scenes.</p>
<p>Takes inspiration from Pirates of the Caribbean and LOTS of research.</p>
<p>I OWN NOTHING</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep a Weather Eye on the Horizon

Although she had grown up in it, Tauriel had never felt like she belonged in the grand home of King Thranduil. Having spent the first 10 years of her life fighting on the streets of the city, Tauriel was always uncomfortable in the mansion, which felt like a city in itself.

Tauriel thought this as she walked down the hallway,  _either too big or too small for my liking it seems,_ Tauriel thought it odd that she felt like she was suffocating in a space so big.

It was past midnight. A member of the kingsguard had woken her, telling her that King Thranduil had urgent business with her. Tauriel wasn't given time to put on proper clothes, so she went to meet the king half-asleep in a loose tunic that went past her knees. The guard who had woken her was walking beside her, silent and stoic.  _Always urgent with our good king,_ Tauriel thought,  _always something happening._ Another mess she would have to clean. Being personal assassin to the king had it's perks of course. A home. Food to eat. Clothes to wear. Even some suitors (although Tauriel had brushed all of them off), but Tauriel had longed for the bittersweet freedom of fighting for her life for a while now.

Tauriel's thoughts were interrupted by finally stopping at the door to King Thranduil's study. The guard gave Tauriel a nod, then walked back down the hall to his post.

Tauriel straightened out her tunic, then entered. Tauriel had only been in Thranduil's study a few times, but always thought it a warm place, lit by many candles and having stacks of books on many subjects. Tauriel walked through the study almost on her tiptoes, she had been heavily trained in the art of being silent.  _Where is he?_ As soon as Tauriel thought it, she turned a corner and found King Thranduil. He had his back to her, and looked as if he was reading a book.

_Here goes nothing,_ Tauriel thought. She stood up straight.

"You requested me, Your Majesty?"

The king turned to look at her. Although it was the middle of the night, His Majesty Thranduil still looked _majestic_. His hair was a white blond sheet that went past his shoulders, and his robe was golden silk. Tauriel could only imagine what she looked like in the eyes of the king, with her long, fiery hair going in all different directions and her wrinkled tunic.

"Yes. I have a task for you. Please take a seat."

Tauriel sat in a wooden chair that gave a loud creak. Both Tauriel and Thranduil ignored it.

"What do you know of Durin, Tauriel?"

_Durin? That island has been lost for ages._ "Nothing, Your Majesty."

"Something has been brought to my attention," Thranduil said. "A growth of some sort."

"A growth of what?" Tauriel said, her curiosity apparent.

"Pirates," Thranduil said.

_Pirates? From Durin?_ "I thought the royal navy had done away with all pirate activity years ago."

Thranduil didn't even seem shaken by his discovery, "Two of our trade ships were boarded by Durinese pirates. Led by Thorin Oakenshield. Lord of the Isle of Durin."

_But he isn't Lord of the Isle anymore. The one they call The Dragon rules Durin now._

"If you don't mind me asking, Your Majesty, what do pirates from Durin have to do with me?"

Thranduil looked at Tauriel with cold eyes, "I believe that Oakenshield plans to usurp me. His crew is steadily growing. He makes his way towards us as we speak, looking to recruit, no doubt."

"You have a much larger army, the pirates would be quickly defeated if they took on that challenge."

Thranduil did not look phased, "One cannot be too careful. There are many ways to take a kingdom. Them arriving here to recruit will be the last time Durinese cross these borders."

_That's where I come in._ "How will I kill Oakenshield? I can't walk on his ship as the royal assassin, my head would be gone as soon as they saw me."

Thranduil shrugged, "Use a disguise. Gain Oakenshield's trust. Then stab him in the back. Weather you do that literally or not is up to you."

_Many backs have been stabbed by my sword, but never a Durin. I'll die on this mission, I'm sure. But at least I'll finally see the ocean._

 

* * *

  

Two days later, a ship sailed into Port Mirkwood. She was a fine galleon, that was given the name the  _Erebor_ many years ago. It seemed to travel at the speed of the wind, with massive, pure white sails on four tall masts that seemed to touch the sky. There were two floors beneath the deck, where 10 crew members slept. At the wheel was quartermaster Dwalin, but  _Erebor_ _'s_ captain was in his own quarters, his arms around his lover, who was not really considered a member of the crew, but was on the ship all the same. The only other person awake was the younger nephew of the captain.

Kili had been unable to sleep the entire night. He had been waiting to arrive at Port Mirkwood for weeks, sitting through countless meetings and having to hear about all the proper routes to take back to the Isle of Durin. Kili had been sitting in the crow's nest since midnight. Fili was studying astrology, and Kili had overheard enough of Balin's lessons to point out a few constellations during the night. Now that dawn was breaking, Kili could make out the docks of Port Mirkwood.

Kili jumped up. _I have to wake up Thorin, he'll want to see this._ Kili took the long climb down the net that led to the crow's nest. The wind was deafening in his ears and was blowing his thick, black curls in his eyes. Kili had only been on the sea a few times, but never felt more at home when he was sailing with his friends.

As soon as his feet hit the deck, Kili headed for the stern. He could only imagine what Thorin had been doing the night before. He could hear Bilbo's moans all the way from the crows nest. But now it was silent. Kili was almost tempted to let Thorin and his little lover sleep, but that urge quickly faded.

Kili opened the door with a loud creak, met with groans and yelling. Kili found Thorin and Bilbo still half-asleep in their bed. They were both stark naked and covered by a single sheet.

" _Fuck_ Kili!" Bilbo threw his pillow, which hit the door, Kili laughed, and threw the pillow at his uncle.

Thorin sat up, and looked just as annoyed as Bilbo, "What is it? You better have a good excuse." Thorin laid back down.

Kili leaned against the door, "We're about to drop anchor in Port Mirkwood. I thought you would want to be awake for that."

Thorin got up, but without the sheet, leaving everything out in the open. Bilbo grabbed his wrist.

"Are you really leaving without giving me a kiss?"

Thorin leaned down and kissed Bilbo on the forehead, rather than on his lips. When Thorin pulled back, Kili could note a bit of hurt in Bilbo's eyes. Bilbo laid back in the bed, burying his face in his pillow.

Thorin was putting on the last of his clothes, and stood in the doorway of his quarters. He turned around to look at Bilbo.

"Will you be alright here while we're on land?"

"Always am," Bilbo said, slightly muffled by the pillow.

"We'll be back soon, don't let anyone see you."

_It's almost as if Uncle thinks his tiny bed warmer a nuisance during the day, but in the night, takes him from behind like a damn animal._

Kili walked out of the captain's quarters, and Thorin soon followed, shutting the door. Kili fell into step with his uncle.

"What happens now? What use do we have of Port Mirkwood, uncle?"

Thorin looked straight ahead, "We need a bigger crew. Port Mirkwood is full of noble fighters, we will need fighters if we are to take back the Isle. _Erebor_ is a mighty vessel, but without a good crew, she is worth nothing."

Kili shrugged, "Is it really the best idea to recruit here? It wasn't long ago that we boarded a ship of Mirkwood's navy for weapons. We are twelve of the bravest Durinese pirates to sail the Isles of Middle Earth."

Thorin stopped, and put his hand on his nephew's shoulder, "You know nothing of the world, Kili. Even though Durin is our home, twelve will not be enough to take it back. The Dragon will have an army. Bravery is not enough."

Thorin walked on but Kili stayed where he was. Thorin was right, Kili _did_ know nothing of the world, but he was never given the chance to see it. For many years, Thorin had kept him on the Isle of the Shire, studying and reading, just like Fili had. The Shire had been their safe haven since losing Durin, but it was never home, surrounded by Bilbo's people (it was on the Shire Isle that Thorin had first taken Bilbo to bed). Thorin wanted Kili to read books like his brother, but Kili was not Fili.

"Let's wake the crew."

* * *

 

When Tauriel heard that _Erebor_ was making it's way to Port Mirkwood, she stayed up most of the night in her room, making herself look like a proper young man. She had cut a lot of her hair, leaving her bright red hair to fall just below her ears. She had wrapped her breasts so tight that she could hardly breath, and stuffed a sock down her pants. She went down to the armory herself, sharpening her own cutlass and cleaning her dual pistols. Tauriel regarded pistols and muskets as her signature weapons, she was often told she was the best shot in all the Isles.

Prince Legolas had visited her twice during the night. He was inconsolable, telling Tauriel over and over that there was no way she was going on the ship, and that the Durinese would certainly kill if she tried to simply get close to Captain Oakenshield.

Tauriel tried consoling her friend, "You know I'm capable, Legolas. I'm in disguise, they'll never know."

Legolas was unconvinced, "Pirates think it unlucky to have a woman on their ship. If they see through your ruse, they'll throw you overboard."

Tauriel didn't listen. _The prince has always been half in love with me, but a hired killer cannot marry a prince, his father has told me so._

* * *

 

Tauriel went out to the tavern when the sun was at it's highest, after one of Thranduil's scouts said that they spotted Captain Oakenshield at _The Broken Prayer._ Tauriel went in her full disguise, but instead of two pistols, Tauriel had decided upon a musket, strapped to her back, as well as her newly sharpened cutlass.

It had taken much searching to find _The_ _Broken Prayer._ It was an ideal place for a band of pirates. The atmosphere around it made Tauriel crinkle her nose. Prostitutes called to drunken men from windows, starving people huddled in the darkness of the alley, begging for change. Tauriel threw a couple coins to one that sat outside the tavern, then went inside.

Although the sun was high and bright outside, the inside of the pub was dark and dank, only with lanterns and candles lighting the place. Tauriel tilted her hat so it hid her eyes. _Best to keep a low profile._ Dirty, drunk men sang with whores on their laps and rum in their hands. They sang about love stories, or just sea shanties. Tauriel observed all of the men in the pub. Thranduil had given her a decent description of Captain Oakenshield, and none of the men fit. Tauriel went to the barkeep, and decided to change her voice so it sounded deeper.

"Do you know where I might find Captain Thorin Oakenshield?"

The barkeep didn't say a word, but simply pointed to a door in the very back of the tavern. Tauriel nodded in thanks, but before she could go, a drunk grabbed her arm.

"I w... would not go with Th...Thorin if were ya', laddie. I hear that he keeps a short man for a lover, when he's not on deck he's with him, humping him like a dog. It's not right."

Another drunk man joined the conversation, "I hear he dabbles in voodoo. He even meets with the master of voodoo. They're chums or somethin' like that."

_The master of voodoo. Gandalf?_

Tauriel tore her arm from the man, and walked off without another word towards the back.

_Don't trust drunks. Rumors. That's all._

However, the mentioning of the voodoo master stuck with Tauriel until she got to the back of the bar.

She opened the door with a loud creak. She looked inside, and twelve dwarves stared at her with hateful eyes. She knew which one was Thorin instantly. He stood above all the dwarves, his face dimly lit by numerous candles.

The deafening silence was broken by the youngest looking dwarf.

"Looking to join our crew, are ya?"

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave comments so I can make improvements in later chapters!


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